Education

Santiago Sena, along with several other Luna Community College students, started the SkillsUSA journey months ago. And for Sena, the journey will continue to the national competition as he took first-place in the Action Skills competition earlier this month in Albuquerque.

“It’s a good feeling, I didn’t think I was going to win it,” said Sena. “I have more confidence now. I really liked everything about SkillsUSA and I intend to come back next year.”

Question: We are moving across country and will soon be looking for a new place to live. Naturally, finding a good school district will play a big role in our decision, as we have three children in elementary school. Do you have any suggestions for ways to learn more about schools in districts that the realtors suggest to us? - Searching

Fourteen Northern New Mexicans have received $1,000 Returning Student/Regional College scholarships from the Los Alamos National Laboratory Employees’ Scholarship Fund.

These awards help students returning to a formal education for certification or a two-year degree at an accredited regional college. Many of the students receiving these awards are pursuing new careers.

Submitted to the Optic
The Viles Foundation, Inc., will be accepting Viles Scholarship applications through April 4, 2014. The five year renewable scholarship is made available to qualifying half orphan or full orphan 2014 graduating seniors from the following high schools in San Miguel and Mora Counties: Las Vegas Robertson, West Las Vegas, Mora, Pecos and Wagon Mound.

The Luna Community College welding program has been upgrading curriculum and technology in efforts to keep up with the growing industry, said Luna Community College Vocational Director Gary Martinez, who has been overseeing the trades area for the last four years.